The Dallas Cowboys spent the entire offseason trying to fix their defense and through five games, it's clear they still have a lot of work to do.
A lot of finger pointing has taken place with first-year defensive coordinator Christian Parker taking the brunt of the blame. There's a hope that the recent hiring of senior defensive assistant Mike Pettine will help Parker improve, but the fact remains that Dallas has several players who have massively underperformed expectations.
One prime example of this is DaRon Bland, who was one considered among the top cornerbacks in the NFL. In 2023, Bland recorded nine interceptions, returning five for touchdowns. Since then, foot injuries have slowed him down and he's now been one of the league's lowest-rated cornerbacks on a weekly basis.
That's why Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski has Dallas replacing the veteran cornerback with their first pick in his latest 2027 NFL mock draft.
Round 1, Pick 21: Zabien Brown, CB, Alabama
Sobleski called Bland a "feast-or-famine" cornerback, adding that the Cowboys can save $13 million by cutting him in the offseason. Should they decide to make that move, he sees Brown as a suitable replacement to play opposite Joey Porter Jr., assuming he gets re-signed.
"Brown comes to play when the lights get bright and his instincts can take over. He has ideal size and length working on the perimeter and won't back down to any assignment. At this stage in his career, he's better in zone coverage than man but has the length and athleticism to develop further. While Brown didn't have his best showing against the Georgia Bulldogs, expect him to bounce back as an impact defender," Sobleski wrote.
Listed at 6-foot-0 and 196 pounds, Brown had a strong sophomore campaign in 2025 for Alabama. That season, he recorded 39 tackles with six pass defenses and two interceptions. Both of his picks were returned for touchdowns as well.
Cowboys also must fix their front seven
While adding a cornerback would be a huge help for this porous pass defense, Dallas also desperately needs help in the front seven.
Right now, they have just five sacks on the season and not a single player has more than one. Their inability to get the opposing quarterback down is a major part of their problems in coverage. If they can find someone to consistently pressure the quarterback, it would go a long way toward helping their cornerbacks who are currently being asked to stay in coverage for far too long.
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